Ukraine: Zelensky denies Russian capture of Kostiantynivka

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the army's General Staff said on Saturday that the strategically important city of Kostiantynivka remains under Ukrainian control. According to France 24, the statement directly rejects Russian claims that the city has been captured.

Russia's military had told President Vladimir Putin on Friday that its forces had taken control of Kostiantynivka, a target Moscow has long sought in its advance through the Donetsk region. The two sides have issued conflicting accounts of the situation on the ground.

Battlefield claims cannot be independently verified. Kostiantynivka sits at an important position for logistics and defensive lines in eastern Ukraine. The course of the conflict is being closely watched, based on military activity in the area and statements from both parties.